JP2003303644A - Connector unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector unit restraining the generation of minute sliding friction and strain of a body of equipment caused by an vibration stress generated between terminals of connected connectors, restraining the load applied to the connector and terminals, eliminating the influence of stress generated between connectors even when the body of equipments are shifted from each other. <P>SOLUTION: For the connector unit comprising a body of equipment 2 having a connector 11 and a body of equipment 3 having a connector 12 to be connected to the connector 11, the connectors are connected to each other by fitting the body of equipments to each other. The rear part of the connector 11 is supported by the body of equipment 2 so as to freely rotate in the direction perpendicular to the direction of connecting itself to the connector 12, and a guide pin 11f is formed to the front part of the connector 11. The body of equipment 3 detachment freely holds the connector 12, and makes the connector 11 connect with the connector 12 when the body of equipment 2 is moved in the direction of fitting with the body of equipment 2. A holder 7, having a guiding part 8 making the connector 11 rotate by engaging with the guide pin 11f, is formed to the body of equipment 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector unit that is combined with a housing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a connector unit including a connector connection and a housing (structure) holding the connector,
For example, the fitting of the housings and the connection of the connectors to each other are simultaneously completed by a series of operations.
No. 0-82534, the connector disclosed in
There is known an invention relating to the connector connection structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 001-52813.

[0003]

In the connector disclosed in the above publication, since the connector is held by the housing, the male connector and the female connector have different frequencies from the housing holding them. Subject to vibration. Due to the relative vibration (vibration stress) caused by the different vibrations, the plating oxidizes due to the friction between the terminals of the connected connectors to form a powder, which causes a contact failure due to an increase in contact resistance (hereinafter referred to as “fine sliding”). There are problems such as "dynamic wear"), distortion of the housing, and a load applied between the terminals and the connector. Further, there is a problem that if there is a deviation between the housings, the slight deviation causes stress (distortion) between the connectors.

Further, in the above-mentioned connector, since there is no locking means for holding the connected connectors to each other in the connected state,
There was concern in terms of reliability when it was used in vehicles such as automobiles where the vibrations that accompany traveling always act. Further, the above-mentioned connector unit has a problem that it is difficult to miniaturize the connector unit because each component and a moving space at the time of connection are large.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and suppresses the occurrence of slight sliding wear and distortion of the housing due to the vibration stress between the terminals of the connected connector, and suppresses the terminal and the connector. It suppresses the load from being applied,
It is a first object of the present invention to provide a connector unit in which the connectors are not affected by stress even if the housings are misaligned. In addition to the first object, it is a second object of the present invention to provide a connector unit in which the connectors are automatically locked / unlocked when the housings are mated / disengaged.
The purpose of.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in the invention of claim 1, a first connector having a first connector is provided.
And a second housing having a second connector connected to the first connector and fitted with the first housing, the first and second housings A connector unit in which the first and second connectors are connected with each other when the first connector and the second connector are connected to the first housing in a connecting direction with the second connector. It is rotatably supported in a direction orthogonal to and a guide pin is provided on the front side.
The second housing holds the second connector in a detachable manner, and when the first housing is moved in a fitting direction with the second housing, the second housing is connected to the first connector. A holder having a guide portion for connecting the second connector and engaging with the guide pin to rotate the first connector is provided.

In the process of attaching the first casing to the second casing, the connection (fitting) of the first connector and the second connector is completed, and the first casing and the second connector are connected from the completion of the connection. By the time the attachment of the body is completed, the first connector rotates along with the second connector along the guide portion of the holder and changes the direction from the connecting direction of the connector to the direction orthogonal to the connecting direction. According to a second aspect of the present invention, the second connector is detached from the holder and held by the first connector as the first connector rotates after completion of connection with the first connector, It is characterized in that it is held again by the holder when the connection with the first connector is released.

When the first housing and the second housing are completely fitted to each other, the first connector is floated in the guide portion of the holder, and the second connector is fitted to the first connector. It will float and not be in contact with the holder. As a result, the second connector is prevented from being cut off from the second housing, and the vibration of the second housing is prevented from being transmitted to the second connector.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the holder is separate from the second housing, and is displaceable in the second housing in a direction orthogonal to the connecting direction of the first connector by a spring rib. It is characterized by being supported by. The holder is displaced by the spring rib in the direction orthogonal to the connecting direction of the first connector, so that the misalignment with the first connector is absorbed, and the second connector can be smoothly connected to the first connector. it can.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the first and second connectors are provided with locking means for locking them in a connected state, and the holder is provided with the locking means at the time of completion of connection or disconnection of both connectors. It is characterized in that a lock releasing means for engaging with and releasing the lock is provided. The first connector and the second connector are locked in order to prevent disconnection between the connectors when the first housing and the second body are attached, and when the first housing is removed, The lock is released in the process (on the way). As a result, in the coupled state between the housings, the connectors are completely locked and the connection is maintained, and the lock is released when the housings are removed, and the connectors and the housings can be removed.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to examples. FIG. 1 shows an assembled perspective view of a connector unit according to the present invention. The structure 1 includes a first housing (attachment) 2 and a second housing (attachment) 3 to which the first housing 2 is detachably attached. For example, a male connector 11 as a first connector constituting the connector unit is attached, and a female connector 12 as a second connector fitted and connected to the male connector 11 is attached to the housing 3 via a holder 7. . The housings 2, 3, the holder 7, the male connector 11, the female connector 12 and the like are integrally formed by a synthetic resin member such as nylon, polypropylene, polybutylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, and alloy resin.

The housing 2 is, for example, a rectangular flat plate, and projections 2b for fitting with the housing 3 are provided at four corners of the plate surface 2a, and a male connector is provided between the left and right projections 2b on the upper portion. A pair of support portions 2c, 2c for attaching 11 are vertically installed on the plate surface 2a so as to face each other with a space therebetween. On the inner surface of the tip of each support portion 2c, a support shaft 2d is provided so as to face each other, and a protrusion 2e for locking (only one side is shown) is provided so as to be opposed to the center of the lower edge of the inner surface. .

The housing 3 has, for example, a box shape, a front surface, both left and right side surfaces and an upper surface are largely opened, a rear wall 3a is left with both side edge portions, and a step is formed in a lower portion so as to be greatly cut open.
Engaging portions 3b that engage with the protrusions 2b of the housing 2 are provided at the four corners of the front surface. Slits 3c are provided on opposite end surfaces of the left and right side edges of the rear wall 3a and on the step portion, and a substantially L-shaped locking plate 4 is fitted and attached to the slit 3c, and a bolt 5 (FIG. 6). It is fixed at.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to 4, the holder 7 has a substantially gate shape when viewed from the front (FIG. 2), and the left and right side walls 7a,
7a are continuously connected by a top plate 7b, a substantially lower front half of each side wall 7a projects forward (FIG. 4), and an upper front end thereof is continuously connected by a round bar-shaped support portion 7c. Stoppers 7d are provided at the front end of the lower surface of the top plate 7b (FIG. 4), and reinforcing ribs 7e are provided near both sides. Plate-shaped guides 7f, 7f are provided in the rear portion of the outer surface of the side wall 7a along the vertical direction with a gap in which the locking plate 4 can be inserted and inserted.

A centering spring rib 7g is provided horizontally on the upper outside of the side wall 7a along the front-rear direction (FIG. 3). The aligning spring rib 7g has a base portion continuously connected to the front edge portion of the side wall 7a and a free end extending freely through a hole 7f '(FIG. 2) provided in each guide 7f to the rear end of the side wall 7a. It is installed, and can be bent (elastically deformed) in the left-right direction. Further, a centering spring rib 7h is horizontally provided along the front-rear direction at the lower end of the side wall 7a (FIG. 4). The aligning spring rib 7h has a base end continuously connected to the lower end of the front edge of the side wall 7a, and a free end extending to the rear end of the side wall 7a, and is bendable (elastically deformable) in the vertical direction. There is.

As shown in FIG. 4, guide grooves (trajectory guides) 8 are provided facing each other on the inner surfaces of the left and right side walls 7a, 7a that face each other. The guide groove 8 has a substantially U-shape, and the starting end 8a is opened in a tapered manner at the front end of the upper portion of the side wall to open (hereinafter referred to as "opening 8a").
b extends slightly horizontally rearward from the opening 8a, and the central portion 8
c extends from the rear end of the horizontal portion 8b toward the obliquely lower front portion so as to form a slight arc. The central portion 8c of the guide groove 8 is gradually widened from the continuous portion with the horizontal portion 8b to the end 8d. On the inner surface of each side wall 7a, a projection 7i as a lock releasing means is provided at an upper position near the opening 8a of the guide groove 8, and a small hole 7j is provided at a position near the upper part of the rear peripheral edge of the central portion 8c. ing.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the holder 7 is accommodated from above in a cutout portion of the rear wall 3a of the housing 3, and the left and right guides are locked between the guides 7f and 7f of the left and right side walls 7a. An edge portion of the plate 4 is fitted and accommodated so as to be slidable in the vertical direction and non-displaceable in the front-rear direction.
The outer surface of the free end of each of the elastic plates 4 is elastically contacted with the end surface of the vertical portion of the locking plate 4 that faces the locking plate 4.
It is elastically contacted and supported by the end face of the step. Accordingly, the holder 7 is supported so as to be displaceable in the vertical and horizontal directions in the figure with respect to the housing 3, that is, displaceably in the direction orthogonal to the connection direction of the connector 11. When the holder 7 moves upward, the upper ends of the left and right aligning spring ribs 7g are locked by the locking plate 4.
It is locked by a locking claw 4a (Fig. 1) provided at the upper end of the to prevent upward deviation.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, the male connector 11
The front opening 11a is a fitting portion with the female connector 12, and the lock release spring ribs 11c as lock releasing means are provided at upper positions of the side walls 11b along the front-rear direction (connection direction with the female connector 12). Is provided. The lock release spring rib 11c has a base end connected to a rear portion of the side wall 11b, a front end being a free end, and a protrusion 11d on the outer surface thereof.
Is provided. This lock release spring rib 11c is
The tip side can be bent inward. Then, the wall portion 11e between the tip of the lock release spring rib 11c and the opening portion 11a engages with the protrusion 12d of the lock spring rib 12c of the female connector 12 as the locking means (hereinafter referred to as "engagement portion 1").
1e ”).

A guide pin (track pin) 11f is provided substantially at the center of the front edge of each side wall 11b, and a hole 11g is provided at the substantially center of the rear portion. The guide pin 11f is movable in the guide groove 8 of the holder 7, and the support shaft 2d of the housing 2 is rotatably fitted in the hole 11g. Each side wall 11b
A locking claw 11h is projectingly provided at a lower portion of a rear end of the housing 2 and can be locked by a projection 2e provided on an inner surface of the support portion 2c of the housing 2. The male connector 11 is provided on the left and right support portions 2c of the housing 2.
7, the support shaft 2d is fitted into the holes 11g of the side walls 11b, and is rotatably supported in the vertical direction in the figure, that is, in the direction orthogonal to the connection direction with the female connector 12, as shown in FIG. Thus, the locking claw 11h at the lower rear end is locked by the protrusion 2e and supported horizontally.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, the female connector 12
The front portion 12a is fitted to the opening portion 11a of the male connector 11 so as to be connectable, and the lock spring rib 12c as a locking means is provided on the upper portions of the both side portions 12b along the front-rear direction (connection direction with the male connector 11). It is provided. The lock spring rib 12c has a base end connected to the front portion of the side wall 12b, a free end, and a locking protrusion 12d provided on the substantially central outer surface. This lock spring rib 12c
Is curved inward at the tip side.

A support shaft 12e is projectingly provided at the lower rear end of the side wall 12b. The tip end 12e 'of the support shaft 12e is slightly tapered and is fitted into a hole 7j provided in the inner surface of the side wall 7a of the holder 7 so that the support shaft 12e can be inserted and removed. Further, a projection 12f for locking is provided substantially at the center of the rear end of the upper surface, and can be locked by a stopper 7d (FIG. 4) provided at the front end of the lower surface of the top plate 7b of the holder 7.

The female connector 12 is housed in the holder 7 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, and the tips 12e 'of the support shafts 12e of the side walls 12b are provided on the inner surface of the side wall 7a of the holder 7 to form a small hole 7j. And is rotatably supported in the vertical direction in the figure, which is orthogonal to the connecting direction with the male connector 11 (see FIG. 1).
3), the protrusion 12f provided at the rear end of the upper surface is locked by the stopper 7d of the top plate 7b of the holder 7 and supported horizontally.

In this way, the male connector 11 is attached to the housing 2, and the female connector 1 is attached to the housing 3 via the holder 7.
2 is attached. In order to avoid complexity of the drawings, the connection terminals of the male connector 11 and the female connector 12 and harnesses connected to these connection terminals are omitted.
The operation will be described below.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the male connector 11 is horizontally supported by the supporting portion 2c of the housing 2, and the female connector 12 is horizontally supported by the holder 7 mounted on the housing 3 to form the male connector. 11, the protrusions 2 b of the housing 2 are connected to the housing 3
Of the corresponding engaging portions 3b. When the housing 2 is pushed in the direction of the arrow A to be attached (fitted) to the housing 3, the tip portion 12a of the female connector 12 is guided to the opening portion 11a of the male connector whose opening end expands in a tapered shape. It At this time, the holder 7 moves vertically with respect to the housing 3 by the aligning spring ribs 7h and 7h as shown by arrows B and B'in FIG.
And the aligning spring ribs 7g and 7g allow the arrow C in FIG.
By being movable in the left-right direction indicated by C ', the female connector 12 is aligned according to the male connector 11, and the tip portion 12a is smoothly guided to the opening portion 11a so that it can be fitted. . In this way, the holder 7 includes the aligning spring rib 7
With g and 7h, misalignment with the male connector 11 can be absorbed.

When the housing 2 is further pushed in the direction of the arrow A, the male connector 11 and the female connector 12 are fitted and connected as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, and accordingly, the male connector 11 is provided on the front side portion. The guide pin 11f is introduced from the opening 8a of the guide groove 8 of the holder 7 to the horizontal portion 8b. When the connection between the male connector 11 and the female connector 12 is completed, the guide pin 1 of the male connector 11 is shown.
If is locked at the rear end of the horizontal portion 8b of the guide groove 8. At the same time, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 13, the protrusion 11d of the lock release spring rib 11c of the male connector 11 is pushed inward by the protrusion 7i provided on the inner surface of the side wall of the holder 7 to push the lock spring rib 12c of the female connector 12 inward. Push into.
As a result, the lock between the protrusion 12d of the lock spring rib 12c and the engaging portion 11e of the male connector 11 is released. This unlocking operation is performed from the case 3 to the case 2 as described later.
This is for releasing the lock between the male connector 11 and the female connector 12 when the connector is removed, and is not related to the connection as described above.

When the housing 2 is further pushed in, as shown in FIG. 14, in the male connector 11, the guide pin 11f moves from the rear end of the horizontal portion 8b of the guide groove 8 to the central portion 8c, and the lower surface of the male connector 11 is the holder 7. Sliding on the round bar-shaped support part 7c, the spindle 2d
With the rotation fulcrum as a fulcrum, it rotates downward in the figure, and the locking between the locking claw 11h at the lower rear end and the projection 2e of the support portion 2c is released.
Further, the projection 11d of the lock release spring rib 11c of the male connector 11 is separated from the projection 7i of the holder side wall, and accordingly, the lock release spring rib 11c elastically returns to the original state, and the projection 12 of the lock spring rib 12c of the female connector 12 is returned.
d engages with the engaging portion 11e of the side wall 11b of the male connector 11. As a result, the male connector 11 and the female connector 12 are locked and held in the connected body. At the same time, the tip 12e ′ of the support shaft 12e of the female connector 12 is attached to the side wall 7 of the holder 7.
It is separated from the small hole 7j of a and separated from the holder 7,
It is held by the male connector 11. In addition, each protrusion 2 of the housing 2
b starts to engage with the corresponding engaging portions 3b of the housing 3.

When the housing 2 is pushed further in, FIG. 15 and FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, the guide pin 11f of the male connector 11 moves downward in the central portion 8c of the guide groove 8 to the terminal end 8d. Along with this, the male connector 11 is connected to the female connector 12 and further rotated downward to be in a substantially vertical state. At the same time, the protrusions 2d of the housing 2 engage with the engaging portions 3b of the housing 3 to complete the mounting operation. In this state, the guide pin 11f of the male connector 11 is located substantially in the center of the terminal end 8d of the guide groove 8, and its tip is separated from the bottom surface of the guide groove 8 and floats in the guide groove 8. ing. Therefore, the male connector 11 is supported by the housing 2 via the guide pins 11f. On the other hand, the female connector 12 is completely separated from the holder 7, is unlocked from the housing 3, and is so-called trimmed.

This prevents stress (distortion) from occurring between the male connector 11 and the female connector 12 due to an assembly error between the housing 2 and the housing 3. Further, the connected male connector 11 and female connector 12 receive only the vibration from the housing 2 to prevent fine sliding wear, distortion, stress, etc. due to relative vibration between the housing 2 and the housing 3. To be done. Furthermore, the connection between the male connector 11 and the female connector 12 can be realized in a small space.

When removing the housing 2 from the housing 3, the operation opposite to the above-described assembling operation is performed. That is, when the housing 2 is pulled out in the direction of the arrow D in the assembled state shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the male connector 11 is rotated upward with the round bar-shaped support portion 7c of the holder 7 as a fulcrum accordingly. while doing,
The guide pin 11f moves upward in the central portion 8c of the guide groove 8 (FIG. 14). When the male connector 11 returns to the horizontal state as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the locking claw 1
1h is locked to the protrusion 2e of the support portion 2c and horizontally supported, and the tip 12e 'of the support shaft 12e of the female connector 12 is also supported.
Fits into the small hole 7j of the holder 7, and the projection 12f at the rear end of the upper surface
Is locked by the stopper 7d of the top plate 7b and held horizontally.

At the same time, the protrusion 11d of the lock release spring rib 11c of the male connector 11 is pushed inward by the protrusion 7i of the side wall 7a, and the lock spring rib 12c of the female connector 12 is pushed inward to bend and the engaging portion 11e. Is disengaged. Thereby, the male connector 11 and the female connector 12
It becomes possible to disconnect by releasing the lock of and. When the housing 2 is further pulled out, the housing 2 is removed from the housing 3 as shown in FIGS.
1 and the female connector 12 are separated and held in the original state.

[0031]

As described above, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, slight sliding wear and distortion of the housing due to vibration stress between corresponding terminals in the connected connector are prevented. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the load from being applied between the connectors, and even if the housings are displaced from each other, the connectors are not affected by the stress and the durability is improved.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, misalignment between the connectors due to the assembly error between the housings can be absorbed, stress (distortion) can be prevented from occurring in the connectors, and By only receiving the vibration from the housing of the
Stress is prevented. Further, the connectors can be connected to each other in a small space.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the housings are fitted to each other, the connectors are locked in the connected state, so that the connectors are prevented from coming off even when vibration is applied, thereby improving reliability. To be

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an assembled perspective view showing an embodiment of a connector unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a holder 7 shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the holder 7 shown in FIG.

4 is a cross-sectional view of the holder 7 shown in FIG. 3, taken along the line IV-IV.

5 is a plan view showing a state in which a holder 7 is mounted on the housing 3 shown in FIG.

6 is a cross-sectional view of the housing 3 and the holder 7 shown in FIG. 5, taken along arrows VI-VI.

7 is a cross-sectional side view of essential parts in a state where a male connector 11 is attached to the housing 1 shown in FIG.

8 is an enlarged view of the female connector 12 shown in FIG.

9 is a cross-sectional view of a state in which the connector unit shown in FIG. 1 is assembled.

10 is a cross-sectional view of the connector unit shown in FIG. 9 taken along the arrow line XX.

11 is a sectional view of the connector unit shown in FIG. 9 in a state where connection is completed.

12 is an arrow XII-X of the connector unit shown in FIG.
It is sectional drawing which follows II.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the housing 2 and the housing 3 shown in FIG. 11 are further fitted together.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where fitting between the housing 2 and the housing 3 shown in FIG. 14 is completed.

16 is an arrow XVI-X of the connector unit shown in FIG.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along VI.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 structure 2 cases (first case) 3 cases (second case) 4 locking plate 7 holder 7g, 7h Aligning spring rib 8 Guide groove (guide part) 11 Male connector (first connector) 11c Lock release spring rib 11f guide pin 12 Female connector (second connector) 12c Rock spring rib

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A first housing having a first connector,
A second housing having a second connector connected to the first connector and fitted to the first housing, for fitting the first and second housings together. Accordingly, in the connector unit in which the first and second connectors are connected, the first connector has a rear portion in a direction orthogonal to a connection direction with the second connector in the first housing. It is rotatably supported, a guide pin is provided on the front side, the second housing holds the second connector detachably, and the first housing serves as the second housing. A holder provided with a guide portion for connecting the first connector and the second connector and engaging with the guide pin to rotate the first connector when moved in the fitting direction of A connector unit characterized by being provided. 2. The second connector is detached from the holder and held by the first connector as the first connector rotates after completion of connection with the first connector,
The connector unit according to claim 1, wherein the connector unit is held by the holder again when the connection with the first connector is released. 3. The holder is a separate body from the second housing and is supported by the second housing so as to be displaceable in a direction orthogonal to the connection direction of the first connector by the second housing. The connector unit according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The first and second connectors are provided with locking means for locking in a connected state, and the holder is engaged with the locking means at the time of completion of connection or disconnection of both connectors. The connector unit according to claim 1, further comprising lock releasing means for releasing the lock.